Why do Authors Write: Richard Stephenson
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At the age of thirteen, I was told I have a genius IQ. I graduated high school in three years and did the same in college. My mind has always raced in multiple directions at once. It has always been a challenge for me to slow down my mind. The race car in my head has plagued me with insomnia and even caused me to question my sanity. Writing is the only thing that calms my mind and lets me pump the brakes on the race car in my head.
1.Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from and when did you start writing? At the age of thirteen, I was told I have a genius IQ. I graduated high school in three years and did the same in college. My mind has
always raced in multiple directions at once. It has always been a challenge for me to slow down my mind. The race car in my head has plagued me with insomnia and even caused me to question my sanity. Writing is the only thing that calms my mind and lets me pump the brakes on the race car in my head.I am a veteran of the United States Army where I served as a Military Policeman. I continued my law enforcement career with the Department of Justice and have been in law enforcement for fifteen years. I've always had a passion for writing and about six months ago decided to see if I could write a novel.
2.Tell me about the books you have written and the most recent ones. How did you come up with the ideas? "Collapse" is set fifteen years in the future and tells the story of the downfall of America. I currently live in Southeast Texas and have endured several hurricanes, two of which left my neck of the woods a wasteland. After the most recent hurricane, we were in total communications blackout for about twelve hours. No cell phones, internet, broadcast TV, cable TV, not even radio stations on the dial. I remember thinking that aliens could have landed on the White House lawn and we'd have been none the wiser. It was a very surreal experience, one that I will never forget. I imagined the entire country being thrown into that level of chaos and it terrified me. That experience is what inspired me to write "Collapse".
3.How did you get so interested in Historical fiction? I've been a history buff since I was a kid. I read a lot of non-fiction. I sprinkled a lot of history into "Collapse" and had a lot of fun doing it.
4.What is the hardest part of writing to you? Editing. I thought I had a decent grasp on the rules of grammar. It was a humbling experience to find out that I do not. Editing is absolutely no fun to me at all. It's like doing homework and for me it takes the fun out of writing. Any indie author that thinks they can edit their own book needs to seriously rethink that strategy. Letting a few friends proof-read it for you does not count as editing. You need someone with serious talent in editing to look over your manuscript.
5.What is a typical writing day for you? When and where do you write?I sit in front of my iMac and type out a chapter at a time and then take a break for a day or two. If I'm on the go, I type on my iPad using my bluetooth keyboard. I basically start out the chapter knowing what the characters need to accomplish and where they need to be at the end of the chapter. Everything else just comes to me as I type.
6.What advice would you give young writers who are reaching their goals to be an Author?Get help. I think the term "Independent Author" is an oxymoron. I know it means to publish a novel independent of the Big 6, but that is where the definition should stop. You can't write a novel on your own. You need someone to read each chapter as you finish. If it doesn't make sense to a proof-reader, it's not going to make sense to the average reader.
The most important piece of advice I can give is to believe in your work and to not be discouraged. If you want to find a literary agent or try to sell your book to a big publishing house, get ready for rejection. Write your novel. Self-publish it. If it's good, the publishing industry will come to you.
7.Are you working on anything right now?I'm writing a four part series and just put the first one up for sale. The second book of the series is scheduled for release next summer. Right now I'm just kicking ideas around in my head.
8. Do you have any favorite books or authors?Lee Child and Vince Flynn are my current favorites. I read everything they put out. I'm reading "Kill Shot" by Flynn right now.
9.Which book of yours would you most recommend?Well, I only have one so that's an easy answer. LOL
Thanks you Richard for letting me interview you about your writing and books! If oyu want to learn more about his book- http://stephensonpowerspub.com/ or see is goodreads profile- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5626171.Richard_Stephenson
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